Recently, I was coaching some newer sales reps from a company that manufactures large industrial equipment. Because of the high prices associated with their products, their prospects, understandably, often want to experience the product itself with an on-site demonstration. The purpose is to see if the machine can do everything the rep says it can.

Unfortunately, there are occasions when the on-site demonstration doesn’t go as planned because the machine has a breakdown. I asked the reps what effect that usually has on the sale, and not surprisingly they told me the sale is almost always lost or made much more difficult to close.

My next question was very direct. “Do you have a contingency plan?” They looked at each other, then at me, and asked what I meant. I told them that when a demonstration goes south, it’s time to “turn lemons into lemonade.” They still looked perplexed.

Beyond just the product, I reminded these account reps that they also sell customer service. They routinely tell prospects they will get great follow-on support. Now is the chance to show it. I asked the reps how long it would take to get spare parts, a repair mechanic or a replacement machine on site. They all agreed it was going to take some emergency phone calls to various people, but it could be done.

My next question was “Can you have a repair/replacement plan prepared in advance? In other words, before a demonstration, can you notify your repairs and parts departments that you’ll be at a specific location at a prescribed time? This way, they’re ready if something goes wrong. Also, do you have an extra machine back at the plant that can be ready to go at a moment’s notice, if needed?”

Suddenly, the pieces all started coming together. The reps admitted their support staffs were usually in the dark about their demonstration schedules. They recognized that with a little prior coordination they could have a contingency plan in place to either quickly repair or replace a broken machine, on site, and in front of the prospect.

By the time we finished our coaching session, these reps were excited about new ways to “leverage” their product and service demonstrations.
What about your demonstrations? Do they always work the first time? If not, do you find yourself losing the sale as a result? Most prospects understand that eventually any product can fail, and the true test of the trust in a salesperson will come when it’s time to repair or replace the product. How quickly can you and your team respond? An effective contingency plan could make all the difference.

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